Hydration is Key
The average person requires 30 to 50 ounces of fluid per day (1 to 1.5 litres) according to a Harvard Health. Active adults, athletes and persons in hot climates may require more water daily. Drinking adequate amounts of water helps transport vital nutrients, feed cells, flush out toxins and keeps your body functioning properly. Your body is made up of 70% water and while fruits and vegetables contain higher amounts of water, it is vital to ensure that we drink adequate amounts of pure fresh water.
Food is Fuel
What we put in our mouth does make a difference! A whole food, plant-based diet gives your body the best nutrients possible from the earth to provide strength, energy and vitality. Choosing fresh, good quality vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and legumes is key. Organic foods are a wise choice with foods known to be GMO (genetically modified) to avoid both health problems and allergies, as well as chemicals. Athletes today are turning to a plant based diet for strength and endurance as well, Abdullah Zeinab who won at epic 5,500km cycling race across Australia. There are many others who’s stories can be found, including at OneGreenPlanet.org and this new advertisement Switch 4 Good.
Receive Essential Nutrients from the Food You Eat
Most micro-nutrients your body needs can be found in plant sources. Vitamin C is abundant in fruit such as strawberries, pineapple, mango and oranges to name a few. Carrots are high in beta-carotene, good for eye health. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of not only Vitamin A, but also potassium. Other nutrients such as iron are found abundantly in lentils, black strap molasses and dark leafy greens to name a few.
Supplements for Essential Nutrients
Eating a plant based diet is easy and getting all nutrients required typically. There are two essential nutrients however that are generally recommended for the general population and consideration to using a plant-based supplement of Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3 are highly recommended in the medical community.
Fight Disease with Your Food Choices
At the 7th Annual Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition, over 750 top researchers, scientists, physicians, dietitians, nurses and public health personnel gathered from around the globe to learn and exchange information on the latest scientifically backed and evidence based research. Time and again, researchers demonstrated that cancer can be avoided from 20% to as high as 90% by choosing a whole food, plant-based diet. In fact, on October 26, 2015 the World Health Organization issued a statement that red and processed meat cause cancer.
The world’s largest and deadliest pandemic today, is the rise of obesity which is directly linked to the rapid increase in diabetes and other chronic disease. The consumption of animal products and processed foods are major culprits. Scientists are taking note and recognize that whole food, plant-based diets lower BMI, decreases cardiovascular disease in obese children, and that reversal of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity, to name a few, may be aided by a plant based diet.
One of the speakers, Dr. David Katz, the founding director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center and the Integrative Medicine Center at Griffin Hospital. He is author of a medical textbook many research papers and wrote the book, Disease-Proof, Slash Your Risk of Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, and More-By 80 Percent. As a leading specialist in preventive medicine Dr. David Katz draws upon the latest scientific evidence and decades of clinical experience to explain how we can slash our risk of every major chronic disease—heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, dementia, and obesity—by an astounding 80%.
In closing, Dr. Katz said, “There are many ways to eat bad and Americans are committed to trying every one of them!”. Canadians are not far behind in their quest to follow the SAD diet (Standard American Diet) and other ‘options’.
Next Month…Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet
